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Yountville seems to really be hopping these days with an
incredible concentration of superb dining destinations of all kinds. Thomas
Keller, Michael Chiarello, and, more recently, Richard Reddington, have all
built important bases here. Reddington is best known for his flagship
outpost, Redd (where we also enjoyed a fabulous meal) but on this night we
opted for the more informal Redd Wood. I confess this was my first meal inside
the restaurant itself, but many tasting days last fall ended with Redd Wood
takeout.

Fritto misto;
calamari, gulf shrimp, lemon, fennel, parsley

The informal, trattoria-inspired room is small, cozy and
quite welcoming. At Redd Wood, Chef Reddington serves up a classic,
Italian-inspired menu of comfort food. The fritto misto, a staple of the
Italian kitchen, is rarely this delicious. We basically devour the fried
calamari and gulf shrimp. The kids have the mozzarella, tomato and basil pizza,
which, by the way, is delicious, while the adults indulge in the far richer
pizza with mushrooms, Asiago, pancetta and Taleggio. Both are superb. I also
enjoy the grilled asparagus, a healthier choice, to be sure. I am less
enamored with the bucatini, which are tasty, but oversauced for my taste.

Grilled asparagus; ricotta
salata, lemon

Redd Wood offers a small, but well-chosen list curated
by Master Sommelier Willi Sherer that is organized by weight and flavor profile rather than by geography. One of my favorite parts of the list is “THE KING (NEBBIOLO)” which features a number
of good choices from Brovia, Vajra and Antoniolo, among others. We start with
Nino Franco’s NV Prosecco Rustico, which sets the mood for a relaxing
dinner after a long day of tasting 2014 Napa Valley Cabernets. As much as the
Nebbiolos are tempting, we can't resist the allure of Arnot-Roberts’ 2012
Syrah Clary Ranch. The 2012 needs quite a bit of time to unwind, but still
only reveals a fraction of the potential I sensed when it was younger. I
suspect bottle shock is the issue, so I would not recommend opening a bottle
anytime soon.

The panna cotta and tiramisu are both divine. Neither are
complicated or technically hard to make, but, as is always the case with
Italian cooking, it all comes down to the purity of the ingredients and simplicity of execution. Here, too,
Redd Wood truly excels.

Panna cotta

Readers visiting Napa Valley won’t want to miss Redd Wood.
The warm atmosphere and menu full of Italian-inspired classics makes Redd Wood
an ideal spot for an informal lunch or dinner, as well as an excellent choice for
families with young children.